21 held after clashes between AMU students, police; hostels being vacated

As many as 21 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes between AMU students and police over the Citizenship Amendment Act and orders issued to completely vacate all hostels of the university, officials said on Monday.

"We have arrested 21 persons in the matter. Named FIR has been lodged against 56 persons and others unidentified, SSP Aligarh Akash Kulhary told PTI over phone from Aligarh.

AMU Proctor Afifullah khan said no student will be allowed to remain in the hostels as strict orders have been issued to vacate all hostels completely.

Special arrangements have been made to evacuate the students from these hostels and about 40 buses arranged to ferry them to their home towns in the western districts, ADG (Agra) Ajay Anand told PTI.

Arrangements have also been made for all long-distance trains travelling to the eastern and north-eastern states of the country, with no stoppage in Aligarh, to halt here to enable students of these areas to leave for their homes, the officials said.

UP Director General of Police O P Singh said Internet services in Aligarh, Saharanpur and Meerut have been suspended.

Protests had broken out here on Sunday night against the amended citizenship law, with hundreds of AMU students clashing with the police at a campus gate, leading to the university adminstration announcing closure of the institution till January 5.

Patrolling was intensified in the city following Sunday's incidents and an uneasy calm prevailed on the AMU campus.

Around 70 people, including students, 20 police personnel and AMU security guards, were injured in the clashes.

Among those injured in the brick-batting are Aligarh DIG Parminder Singh and SP (City) Abhishek.

District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh said Internet services in the city will remain suspended till Monday midnight as a precautionary measure.

In a statement, he said this measure had to be taken following reports that some mischievous elements were sharing incriminatory posts which could threaten law and order.

All schools and colleges have been closed as a precautionary measure, SP (City) Abhishek said, adding that police pickets and a magistrate have been posted at all entry points to the university campus.

Police said all business establishments in the neighbouring market areas of the university, like Jamalpur, have kept their shutters down. Markets in the old city, including the sensitive Upper Fort area, are also closed.

The clashes at AMU started after an agitation by Jamia Millia Islamia students in Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act turned violent and police used batons and tear gas to disperse them.

The situation is normal in the campus, the SSP said.